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The differences between communications associates and marketing communications specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a communications associate, becoming a marketing communications specialist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a marketing communications specialist has an average salary of $53,993, which is higher than the $44,477 average annual salary of a communications associate.
The top three skills for a communications associate include customer service, patients and powerpoint. The most important skills for a marketing communications specialist are digital marketing, project management, and graphic design.
| Communications Associate | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $44,477 | $53,993 |
| Hourly rate | $21.38 | $25.96 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 21,721 | 95,444 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A communications associate is responsible for assisting with writing and communication projects and tasks within an organization. They are responsible for planning and implementing communication strategies, overseeing the company's media promotion, and editing and proofreading communication materials and texts. As a communications associate, you will be most likely to manage an organization's online presence by developing, updating, or revising its website and creating copy for social media. You also must cultivate and consolidate good media relations, and oversee the company's promotion campaigns and advertising.
A marketing communications specialist is an individual who is responsible for creating all the marketing materials that are distributed to customers to increase brand awareness for the company's products or services. To create these materials, marketing communications specialists must collaborate with graphic design teams. They are required to track their marketing performance so that they can identify ways to improve their marketing strategies. Marketing communications specialists must also set up interviews and press conferences as part of their marketing campaign.
Communications associates and marketing communications specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Communications Associate | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Average salary | $44,477 | $53,993 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $66,000 | Between $36,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Haven, CT | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a communications associate and a marketing communications specialist in terms of educational background:
| Communications Associate | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between communications associates' and marketing communications specialists' demographics:
| Communications Associate | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.5% Female, 67.5% | Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 5.3% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 9.6% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |